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Monster Media 1993 #2
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1993-05-27
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We are looking at 2 sound cards in this issue. After the Sound Blaster
review, I have a review on Gravis UltraSound.
Sound Blaster
16 ASP
by Tony Curro
Creative Labs has been a leader in sound cards for several years.
They have the standard by which others are judged. Look at virtually
any software package that supports sound, and you will see: Sound
Blaster supported. Look at almost any other sound card, and you will
see: Sound Blaster compatible. With the release of Sound Blaster 16,
they have kept up that tradition.
This card is a 16-bit card, which must be installed in an available
16 bit slot in your computer. You plug the card in, and then run the
configuration software. The SB 16 allows you to make changes of DMA,
IRQ, etc., directly from the software. No more is there a need to
move jumpers. This is a great advantage. In the future, if you
install something else, and develop a IRQ conflict, you just run
SBCONFIG and change it. You have choose from the following:
Selectable I/O Address -- 220, 240, 260, 280.
Software Configurable IRQ/DMA --
Interrupts -- 2,5,7 and 10
8-bit DMA -- 0,1 and 3
16-bit DMA -- 5,6 and 7
There are connectors for the PC internal speaker, line-out,
CD-audio, joystick port, microphone, CD-ROM interface, Wave Blaster
Upgrade Option Connector. The CD-ROM interface is a proprietary
connector, which works with internal or external drives from
Creative Labs or models CR521 or CR523 from Panasonic.
SB 16 includes the following software:
PC Animate Plus; Monologue for Windows; HSC InterActive.
In addition there is a plethora of software from Creative Labs
including: WaveStudio; Soundo'le; Talking Scheduler; Mosaic (game);
SBTalker with Dr. Sbaitso; FM Intelligent Organ; SBSIM (Sound
Blaster Standard Interface Module); MMPLAY Presenter; SBMIDI; DOS
and Windows 3.1 software drivers. It also includes Multimedia
Encyclopedia from Software Toolworks on a CD-ROM.
SB 16 is fully compatible with MPC standard, and works with OS/2. It
now has true 16-bit CD-quality sound. I have used a Sound Blaster
since the original card came out, and have went along with them on
new releases. I have never been disappointed. I was very impressed
with the SB 16 package. All the software, the added CD-ROM disk, and
the added flexibility of configuration via software, have raised the
product a notch in my book. I have a CD-ROM that is not directly
supported from the SB 16. Using a connector from the back of my
drive, and connecting the plug in the line-in connector on the SB
16, I was able to have all the sounds played through my sound card.
Why buy a sound card that is SB compatible? How compatible is it? My
advice is buy a Sound Blaster 16, and then you do NOT have to worry
how compatible it is. It IS the real thing.
Creative Labs also has a BBS, where you can always download the
latest drivers, sound file, and other programs for your card.
Product Information
Sound Blaster 16 ASP
List Price -- $349.
Creative Labs, Inc.
1901 McCarthy Blvd.
Milpitas, CA 95035
408-428-6600
800-998-LABS (Sales Hotline)
408-428-6611 (FAX)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gravis
UltraSound
by Tony Curro
Advanced Gravis, makers of the Gravis Analog Joystick, has released
the UltraSound sound card.
Installation requires about 8MB of hard disk space. The card is 3D
compliant. Advance Gravis should have software out, that will allow
a user to experience true 3D effects with sound. I was at a
presentation of this and was very impressed. The best effect is
achieved by using headphones.
UltraSound features include:
* 16-bit CD quality sound.
* Up to 32 synthesized voices or up to 32 digital voices.
* AdLib and Sound Blaster capability (Must run a provided program
for SB emulation).
* Includes implementation of Gravis Eliminator Game Card.
* Support for standard MIDI Stereo recording capabilities up to
44.1KHz.
Optional add-on boards:
* 16-bit stereo recording
* CD-ROM interface.
Software included:
* UltraSound Studio 8 -- desktop recording studio for playing,
recording, mixing and customizing digital sound files.
* Sample demo music, sequences and sounds. Complete set (192) of
General MIDI instrument patches.
* Audio/Playing Playfile -- Three programs for playing and recording
digital audio.
* Ultrafli -- A program for synchronizing digitized sound with .FLI
format animations.
* PlayMIDI -- program for playing MIDI files.
The board contains: Line In, Mic In, Line Out, Amplified Out,
Joystick/MIDI connector. UltraSound can take 1MB maximum memory
using 256K memory chips, 100ns page mode type DRAM. Also included is
full support for Windows multimedia extensions. Software for use
with Windows is included. UltraSound meets or exceeds MPC standards.
Overall the card was good. However, the multiple options for setting
up UltraSound mode, Sound Blaster mode and MIDI may be confusing to
some. All manufacturers must make their cards Sound Blaster
compatible, since it is the standard. It seems to me that something
gets lost in the translation. I have tested several cards: ProAudio
Spectrum 16, WinStorm and this card. Each card had a feature, or
quality of sound, that was different from a real Sound Blaster. The
Windows portion of these cards are all excellent. Some users make be
pleased with the Sound Blaster support. I, while I did like the
card, was not overly enthusiastic over the SB support.
Product Information
Gravis
Ultra Sound
List Price -- $249
Advanced Gravis
1602 Carolina St, #D12 7400 MacPherson Ave. #111
Bellingham, WA 98226 Burnaby, British Columbia
800-663-8558 Canada V5J 5B6
604-434-7274
604-434-7809 (FAX)